Tag: heart

We all want one thing in life: to be truly content. True happiness isn’t something that comes along easy, but it’s something we can have through God and God alone….

We all want one thing in life: to be truly content. True happiness isn’t something that comes along easy, but it’s something we can have through God and God alone.

We often find ourselves seeking things that only provide temporary satisfaction. They satisfy us for a day, a month, a year, etc., and then we go on seeking the next thing to give us that joy or contentment that we quickly felt.

These things we use to try to fill the void in our lives will always run out. As Jesus was a human on this earth, he knows the temporary joy the world offers. He also knows the long-lasting, fulfilling joy that our heavenly father gives freely to us.

God wants us to feel the joy he has in store for us. It’s something that doesn’t even compare to any joy we’ve felt before. He is the true giver of every perfect gift, and he wants to give us the gift of true, lasting contentment. Take a look at what God’s word says about discovering real happiness!

“For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – Matthew 6:32-33

God may not give you a new car or hand you a million dollars, but he will give you the things no one else on this earth can. When we seek him and his righteousness, God provides us with so much more than worldly riches.

I was once told of a verse that talks about worldly contentment so perfectly. Jeremiah 2:13 says, “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water”

Jesus is the spring of living water that is endless, ever-flowing, pure, and holy. If we take a look at this verse, it’s saying that we, as sinners, replace Jesus’s perfect water and replace it with our own. Our cisterns are broken, unable to hold water, only satisfying our needs for a short amount of time.

So, I challenge you to this: think of three different cisterns in your life. Maybe it’s partying, boys, grades, whatever it may be. These are the things you find yourself seeking happiness in that only end up giving you joy in the moment. Then, focus on how you can take the effort you spend on these things and spend it on growing closer to God. Watch how your heart changes!

At the end of the day, happiness will always come and go. But with God, our hearts, minds, and spirits are always filled with his love and his joy. We waste so much time on temporary fulfillment when she should be looking for everlasting fulfillment from our heavenly father. That is where true, eternal contentment can be found

Serving others is one of the biggest underlying themes of the Bible. Throughout the old and new testament, there are so many examples of people laying down their lives for…

Serving others is one of the biggest underlying themes of the Bible. Throughout the old and new testament, there are so many examples of people laying down their lives for others. In the new testament especially, we can read about all the different ways Jesus served his disciples, his followers, and so many others that he encountered.

The Bible is filled with SO many lessons that teach us how we should act and live. The lessons that teach us selflessness and love for others are the ones we should always take note of. The world could always use a little more love, so why don’t we show God’s love by extending a hand toward others!

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” – Galatians 5:13

God gives us free will to do what we want in life. He doesn’t force us one way or the other, instead he gives us the choice to act selflessly or selfishly… which is sometimes the easier option. When we serve others, it humbles us and reminds us of the bigger picture in life.

There’s a story in the Bible that tells of a time when Jesus humbled himself and served his disciples by washing their feet. John 13:5 says, “After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”

Then Jesus said, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

This story is so important because it shows how even Jesus Christ humbles himself and puts others’ needs before his own. If even Jesus, who is greater than all the earth, can practice selflessness in even the hardest of times, then we should do so, too.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.” – Romans 12:1

Have you ever thought of serving others as a form of worship? God notices when we take our own needs and wants and sacrifice them for others. It’s not always what we want to do, but it’s something that changes our mindsets and our hearts to reflect how Jesus wants us to think toward others… no strings attached, not hoping for something in return.

Consider all of this the next time someone asks you for a simple favor or something even bigger. Think the way God wants us to and extend a hand to the people you normally wouldn’t. A serving heart is a happy heart!

When you read the title of this article, you might have assumed this is all about relationships. Although many times guarding your heart has to do with boys or catching…

When you read the title of this article, you might have assumed this is all about relationships.

Although many times guarding your heart has to do with boys or catching feelings, it covers several areas of your life you wouldn’t even think of.

When it comes to different areas in our life, we should practice guarding our hearts from anything that could damage it.

Maybe music is your weak point. What songs are affecting you negatively? Maybe it’s movies. What movies put bad thoughts into your head over and over again?

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” – Proverbs 4:23

For boys:

This is a big one ladies. I know for me, I grew up dreaming of the husband God was preparing for me. Every guy I dated, I always wondered in the back of my head if he was the one.

For a while, I would pour out my heart to every boyfriend I had. In the end, I would be left broken and empty because I rushed to give so much of my heart to whoever I was in a relationship with.

I soon after learned a very important lesson: stop giving my heart to the hands that can break it.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”

Once you find the kind of love God describes in 1 Corinthians, then you can start your journey of letting your guard down.

Until then, be careful who you give parts of your heart to. Seek God and you’ll find him in all areas of your life, even your relationships.

For friends:

When you’re with your friends, learn which ones are lifelong and which are temporary. Learn who you can trust with your secrets and venting sessions.

I learned this the hard way, by trusting too many people and giving too many of my “friends” access to all areas of my life.

Proverbs 13:20 says, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”

God wants you to have good fellowship and to keep those in your life who encourage and build you up. You just have to know who’s wise and who you should walk with.

For the things of this world:

As far as music, movie, TV shows, etc., you retain more of the information you hear and watch than you think.

After a while, the harsh words you hear or the vulgar scenes you watch may start to take a toll on you. Put into your body the things that are going to leave a positive impact on you, not a negative one.

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There’s a strong difference between guarding your heart and shutting people out. It’s important to know when to let your guard down and when to keep it up.

God wants us to protect ourselves from the things that take us away from Him.

I challenge you to practice the things God talks about in the Bible. Once again, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Oftentimes when people are broken and hurting, the last thing they want to do is turn to God for help. “I’ve prayed time after time and never get any answers.”…

Oftentimes when people are broken and hurting, the last thing they want to do is turn to God for help.

“I’ve prayed time after time and never get any answers.” “God has given up on me by now.” “How could I ask him for healing when I don’t deserve it?” Any of these sound familiar?

These are the some of the biggest lies the devil could tell you.

If you’re feeling broken, alone, depressed, etc., God has several messages he wants you to hear, all throughout the Bible. He may not have answered your prayers yet, but if you sit down and take a look at what’s written right in front of you, you may find the answers you’re looking for.

There are hundreds of promises God gives us throughout the Bible, and this is one of my favorites.

Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

God doesn’t say he “might” give you rest. God says he will give you rest, all you have to do is go to him.

I’ve had a friend in the past that was falling into depression and wanted little to nothing to do with God. She looked for healing through herself, through her friends, and through distractions. She thought as time went on, she would grow out of this “phase” she was in.

After time had passed, she had not gotten better but worse. Eventually, after all else had failed, she turned to the one thing that could have given her joy and healing all along.

We all know someone who has gone through this cycle. We may even be that person in the midst of it now.

Proverbs 4:20-22 says, “My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.”

The Bible says it itself: Keep these words within your heart and you will receive life and healing.

It can be as simple as talking to him on your way to class, while you’re driving to work, or while you’re eating breakfast. Present your requests to him. Tell him why you’re hurting. He’s the best listening ear and the one who is eager to bring you the hope and joy he intended for your life to have.

Next time you’re feeling alone, sad, helpless, or hopeless, turn to HIM.

He is the only one that can give you what you’ve been searching for all along. If you remember anything, remember this: God always heals the hurting. Find rest in Him and Him alone.

If you need something to cling onto, take a look at Revelation 21:4: “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

All of us girls can agree on one thing: breakups are the worst. No one enjoys breaking it off with someone or especially being broken up with! Although they’re never…

All of us girls can agree on one thing: breakups are the worst.No one enjoys breaking it off with someone or especially being broken up with!Although they’re never fun, there are some breakups that are better than others.Here are 5 different types of breakups that most of us have experienced at least once!

The friendly breakup.Aren’t these the best?You know and agree that you both aren’t right for each other so you end on a civil note.You can still have friendly conversations without it being awkward or hostile!

The heartbreaking breakup.These breakups are the ones you never ever want to experience.They’re the breakups that leave you with sleepless nights and lots of heartache.If you’ve experienced this before, just know you’re not alone!

The angry breakup.Having built up grudges and anger especially at the end of a breakup makes parting ways 10x harder.I know for me, I hate when people are mad at me or when a situation leaves me boiling up inside!

The one-sided breakup.Depending on what side you’re on, you can either leave feeling relieved or extremely heartbroken.It’s the worst when you’re more invested in someone than they are in you.

The end result breakup.This is the breakup that you both expected no matter how much you wanted to deny it.I think we’ve all experienced this at some point in our dating life.You didn’t want to admit it, but you knew breaking up would be the end result!

Which breakup do you think is the worst?One day we’ll have a relationship that won’t ever have to end in a breakup!

Hello insiders! One of the season’s hottest trends that I absolutely love is cutout dresses. They’re super fashionable and can be found at almost any of my favorite stores. …

Hello insiders! One of the season’s hottest trends that I absolutely love is cutout dresses. They’re super fashionable and can be found at almost any of my favorite stores. One of the cool things about them is that you can find different cutout shapes such as a hearts or triangles, whatever you prefer!

A great online store for cutout dresses is Sabo Skirt. They have a ton of different designs, patterns, and colors! My favorite is the “Heart Back Dress” which comes in white, black, blue, and pink! Even though the dress is only one color, you can add a pop of neon with your shoes or handbag.

Another place to find the best dresses is, of course, Forever 21. Forever 21 has chic choices of the prettiest dresses at a great price. All dresses range from only around $20 to $30 which is a great deal for how good the qualities of the dresses are!

Although the selection is a little smaller, Love Culture and Charlotte Russe also carry cute, simple cutout dresses that are just as fashionable. Just like Forever 21, their prices are just as good and the quality is great as well.

Windsor clothing store also offers cutout dresses with a more formal look. So if you want to wear a cutout dress for a fall dance, Windsor offers timeless but trendy looks. You can pair it with ballet flats or heels depending on your event!

Hey insiders, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! It’s always fun to bake something creative for that special someone in your life. It’s also fun to bake treats for…

Hey insiders, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! It’s always fun to bake something creative for that special someone in your life. It’s also fun to bake treats for others that you love like your grandparents, your friends, or even a teacher. Below I’ve included three different goodies that would make anyone’s mouth water. I always love to bake heart shaped cut out cookies. A relative’s sugar cookie recipe is the always the best way to go. My family and I like to use different shaped sizes of hearts and decorate them with pink, red, white, and purple icing. We top them off with sugar sprinkles. Another yummy idea is to bake a heart shaped cake! You can purchase a heart shaped pan or two and bake a cake in them. Have fun icing for decorating your cake. This will show your “special someone” that you took the time to make something fun and creative. And don’t forget delicious! If baking is not your thing, you can always make some rice crispy treats on the stove top. You can use a cookie cutter to cut heart shapes out of the treats. You can also use popsicle or lollipop sticks to slide into each snack. Feel free to decorate the rice crispy treats with icing if you really LOVE sugar! I hope these ideas will help you spread love this Valentine’s Day!